Control device for tabulating machines



April 14, 1931. Y I 1 c. D. LAKE 1,800,392

I CONTROL DEVICE FOR TABULATING MACHINES Filed July 31. 1925 2Sh'ets-Shet i I r l n!mmoa cournmjeumuoacourm.mnanconrqou April 14,1931. c. D. LAKE 1,800,392

CONTROL DEVICE FOR TABULATING MACHINES Filed July 31, 1925 2Sheets-Sheet 2 anoawto'z With Patented Apr. 14,1931

' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CLAIR n. LAKE, or B Nomu'roN, NEw YORK,ASSIGNQR TO THE TABuLA'rING 1mminus comm, or ENDICOTT, NEW YORK, ACORPORATION or NEW JERSEY CONTROL DEVICE FOR TAIBULA TING MACHINESApplication filed July 81, 1925. Serial No. 47,298.

This invention relates to improvements in tabulating machines and ismore particularly directed to improvements in the control devices =formachines of this class. Heretofore vices were provided which upon anoccurrence of a change in control number stopped the operation of themachine and in someinstances brought about a printing operation.previous controlling devicesonly one contro number was utilized, whichcontrol number might include several figures. It is one of the princi a1objects of the present invention to provi e a control device which willbe applicable for split controlling. The control number instead of beinga single number may comprise a plurality of numbers designatindifi'erent facts. For example, there may ea control number indicativeofa customer number, another control number indicative of a salesmannumber and another one representing a district or state number. Inutilizing the split control the machine can be arranged to efiecttheusual printing operation' upon a change in the customers number. andthen upon a change in the district or salesman number a differentcontrolling operation can be brought about. In sorting cards preparatoryto utilizing them in the machine the .user might follow the practice ofsorting the cards first by districts, thereafter the district sortedcardswould be sorted according to salesman number and finally thesalesman cards would be sorted according to. customers number. coursebegunderstood that the above sorting and se aration of the cards ismerely illustrative one way in which the machine can be mannumber wouldbe the first major control or grou class control andthe district numintabulatingmachines automatic control deamounts represented by thatparticular customers number. This operation could of course be performedautomatically. The major controls would be separately plugged and wheneach one of these major controls changed either individually or incombicondition to have a total printed therefrom It will of and to bereset sothat a subsequent tabulating operation can be performed.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a circuit dia ram; Fig. 2 is a front view 0a tabulating machine embodying the present invention.

Fig. 3 is a top View of the machine shown in Fig. 2.

the upper and Fig. 4 is'a view of the card feeding secper brushes beingconnected to the plug sock ets 67 and the lower brushes being connectedto multiple plug sockets. 68. A control unit ofconventional type isi'ovided havingautomatic control magnets 2 suitably connected to plugsockets 670 and 680. The control magmets 72 are arranged to controlused. With this sort ofcards the customers pumber would be the minorcontrol, the sales-- the closure -of the usual automatic controlcontacils generally desi nated 73. In plugging up the machine. orcontrolling, plug connections would be made between 67 and 670 andbetween680 and 68.

berwou d be the second-major or major group class 'control.: I

' Asillustrative of the results which would be accomplished'with thiscontrolling device.

the machine could be arranged and so plugged that upon a change in theminor controlnumf berr-ire sfcustomqrs number, the machine would print atheusual waypf Itwillalso be understood that the various desiredconnections would be made between 68 and 69. In place of rovidingpermanent electrical connections tween the various contacts 73 asheretofore, these contacts are electrically disconnectedfrom each other.and

provided with individualplug sockets A, B, 7 31 ,7

A would also be made between sockets 18 and and between 19 and 21.Control work would now be handled in the usual way. The machine would beautomatically brought to stop upon the opening of any of the controlcontacts 73 inasmuch as the control circuit 74 which is in shunt aroundcontacts C-1 would interrupt the operation of the machine bring ingabout de-energization of the motor control relay 84. If a less number ofcolumns are to be used for controlling, certain of the plug connectionsbetween the upper group of sockets designated A, C, E, G, L, O, Q, S, Uand W and lower sockets B, D, F, H, M, P, R, T, V and X would be removedand the plug connection 17 inserted in the proper socket.

It will be assumed that split automatic controlling is desired and thatthe control contacts are to be split up to control on the customersnumber for the first three positions from the right on contacts 73, thesalesman number by the next three contacts numbered 4, 5 and 6, and theState or district number by the remaining contacts designated 7, 8, 9and 0. With this splitting of the control, plug socket 17 would beinserted in socket F as indicated by dotted lines. A plug connectionwould be made between socket G and plug socket 20. Further plugconnection would be made between socket P and socket 18, between Q, and19 and between X and 21. The plugging from the control unit to the'upper and lower brushes would be effected in the usual manner. Onemethod of plugging from the lower brushes would be to so plug them thatall controlling numbers would be indicated on the first and secondcounters and so that the sub-totals of amounts by customer number wouldbe indicated in the third counter and the totals of amounts by salesmannumber would be accumulated in the fourth counter and the grand totalsof amounts of State or district number would be accumulated in the fifthcounter. As is customary in these machines zero buttons 129 are providedin association with each counter. The zero button in connection with thethird counter in the case illustrated would be normally thrown in beforerunning off a tabulated report of this kind, and would always remain inwhile the zero buttons for the fourth and fifth counters would be out orto the left as looking from the front of the machine. As is customary inthese machines when the zero buttons are out there is no printing of atotal or clearing of the counter when a reset operation is beingeffected. In addition to the usual zero button contacts supplementarybutton contacts 33 and 32 are provided on the fourth and fifth counters,respectively. Disposed in the circuit-from contacts 86 of the motorcontrol relay which formerly extended to hinder post 9 through will openand also arranged that these contacts will close upon thede-energization of magnet 22. The machine is also provided with twocontrol relays whose magnets are shown at 24 and 25 and whose goom-necksare shown at 26 and 27, respectively. These control relays are soconstructed that the energization of magnet'24 causes contacts 28 toopen and 29 to close and the energization of 25 causes contacts 30 toopen and contacts 31 to close; and vice versa; the de-energization ofmagnet 24 causes contacts 28 to close and 29 to open and thede-energization of magnet 25 causes contacts 30 to close and contacts 31to open. As previously explained, additional zero button contacts areprovided on the fourth and fifth counters designated, respectively, 32and 33. A movement of either zero button to the right or in will causecontacts 32 or 33 to close; and vice versathe movement of the zerobutton to the left will cause contacts 32 or 33 to open. These contacts32 and 33 are respectively disposed in a shunt circuit around contacts29, 31. Connected in circuit to contacts 28 and 30, respectively, aretwo lamps 35 and 36, the circuit through these lamps being joined at 37and thence extending through the winding of sub-total relay 22 to acommon line 43. A circuit 40 is further provided leading to a commonconnection extending to cam contacts LP7 and LP-6, and also to point 39.Circuits 45 and 46 are further provided extending from the oppositesides of contacts LP-7 and LP-6, respectively, to the windings of lamprelays 25 and 24. The circuit leading through winding 24 also extendsthrough cam contacts L3 to a wire 43 which is connected to the commonplug sockets 18 and 19. An additional branch circuit 44 is providedleading from winding 24 to plug socket 20. From winding 25 a circuitleads through cam contacts L4 to wire 43 and a branch circuit isprovided leading to plug socket 21. From plug socket A a circuit 48extends to binder post 13 which is also connected to binder post 12. Acircuit connection 47 is also provided from common plug sockets 19 and18 to plug socket A.

Operation When the main switch 81 is closed the two lamps 35 and 36 willlight and sub-total relay magnet 22 will be energized thus opening theheretofore indicate a the D position and an automatlc reset operationtakes place resetting the third counter motor control circuit atcontacts 23. The lamp circuit thus established is traced as follows frombinder post 12 to binder st 13, wire 48, 47, 43 through relay win 'ng.22, lamps 35 and 36, contacts 28 and 30 now closed, through 39 and 40 tothe other side of the line. A reset 0 eration must now be made in orderto startt etabulator. During this reset operation cam contacts LP6 andLP7 close thus supplyi currentto and energizing windings 24 an 25. Assoon as these windings 24 and 25 are energized stick circuits areestablished keeping the windings energized. One stick circuit may betraced as follows :.from left side of line through 40, 39, contacts 29,goose-neck 26, winding 24 and out through 43, 47 and 48 to right side ofline. As soon as windings 24 and 25 are energized contacts 28 and 30will open and the lamps 35 and 36 will become extinguished and thesubtotal relay winding 22 will become de-cnergized. The sub-total relaycontacts 23 will then close and the motor controlfrelay contacts 86 willbe closed in the usual manner durin the resettting operation of thetabulator. t will now be assumed that the tabulator is in operation andthe cards are feeding and that the pluggin% has been made as agree intheir control perforations the motor control circuit through contacts 23and 86 is closed at each card cycle which maintains the tabulator inoperation. As in pre-' in the cardsdo not'agree in their customers.

number the card control circuits through the unit contacts 73representing positions 1, 2 and 3 of the control unit would be opened atthe time cam contacts C-l open. This opens the motor control circuitcontacts 86 in the usual manner, the tabulator then stops at to zero andsubsequently the tabulator restarts tabulating. If the cards do notagree in their control perforations for, say, the salesman number, thecard control circuit through the control unit contacts 73 reprevsentingpositions 4, 5 and 6 of the control unit would be open at the time camcontacts L3 open. Inasmuch as these particular contacts "are in shuntaround cam contacts L3 the opening of cam contact-s L3 would.de-energize the counter control lamp relay magnet 24 whereupon contacts29 would open, contacts28 would close, the lamp 35 would light,

the sub-total relay magnet 22 would be energized, the contacts 23 wouldopen thus opening the motor control circuit and stopping the tabulatc iat the D position, Although an automatic reset operation would tend totake 0 long as the cards,

lace at this time such action would not occur inasmuch as contacts 23are open and interrupt the'automatic reset circuit which extends throughcam contacts L-1. As previously.

starting t e' tabulating operation. The zero button of the fourthcounter must now be 'moved out or to the left.

Ifthe cards do not agree in their control perforations, say, forexample, the district number represented by positions 7 to 10 inclusive,the card control circuit through these contacts would open at the timecontacts L4 open. This action would illuminate lamp 36 and stop thetabulator in the manner previously expllained. Lamp 36 is associatedwith counter o. 5 and its illumination indicates that this counter is incondition to have a total taken therefrom and cleared in the mannerpreviously explained for counter No. 4. It will be understood that thereclosure of contacts 32 or 33 by shiftingthe zero buttons to the inposition will effect a re-energizar tion of either windings 24 or 25 andwill thus open either contacts 28 or 30. It is necessary that both ofthese contacts 28 or 30 be opened before the sub-total relay will bede-energized. Winding 22 it will be remembered is de-energizcd duringrunning conditions of the tabulator and it is only energized to open upthe tabulating circuits at 23. The purpose of cam contact-s LP6 to LP7is to effect closing of stick circuit, previously mentioned, during thereset cycle to eliminate normal closing of zero. button contacts whenstarting cards through the machine before tabulating operations.

The other circuits shown in the circuit diagram need not be furtherdescribed as they are more fully set forth in the patent 1,762,145,issued June 10, 1930.

It will be understood that sub-total relay to George F. Dalyand Ralph E.Page, No.

ations and preventing automatic resetting of the tabulator counter orcounters. Resetting is reventedinasmuch'as the contacts 23 are disposedinthe line leading to hinder post 12 from the automatic reset camcontacts Ll. After or when relay 22 is deenergiz ed restarting of thetabulator may take place and occur.

' What I clai'm isz' 1. In a tabulating machine having a con- .troldevi'ce controllable by separate control automatic resetting can 1numbers upon perforated record cards and a plurality of counters intowhich amounts derived from the perforated records may be accumulated,means controlled by said control device for stopping the tabulatingoperation, clearing a counter and printing the totals therefrom, and forrestarting the tabulator, and means also controlled by said control unitupon the change of a different record card control number forinterrupting the automatic restarting of the tabulating until anothercounter has been selected for clearing and such clearing operation effected.

2. In a tabulating machine having-a control device controllable byseparate control numbers upon the record cards and a plurality ofcounters into which amounts derived from the perforated records may be.

accumulated. means controlled by'said control device for stopping thetabulating operation, clearing a counter and printing the totalstherefrom, and for-restarting the tabulator, and means also controlledby said control unit upon the change of a different record card controlnumber for interrupting the automatic resetting of the counters andrestarting of tabulating operations until a selection of a counter orcounters has been made from which amounts are to be printed and thecounters cleared.

3. In a tabulating machine having a plurality of counters into each ofwhich items from record cards may be accumulated, and

control mechanisms having a plurality of sections each associated with adifferent counter, means brought into operation upon the change ofcontrol number in one section for initiating the stoppingof thetabulating operation, the clearing of the associated counter and theprinting of totals therefrom 1 and for subsequently initiating therestarting of the tabulator, and means brought into operation upon theoccurrence of a group change in another. section for stopping thetabulating operation and designating the section causing the stoppagewhereby the associated counter from which a total is to be taken isidentified.

4. In a tabulating'machine, an automatic control device for modifyingthe operation of the machine upon the occurrence of changes in groupnumbers of the record cards, said control device having provision forefiecting control from a plurality of groups of record designatingperforations, and means for variously signalling the operator of themachine in accordance with various changes which occur in the groups ofcontrol numbers.

5. In a tabulating machine having an automatic control unit withprovision for splitting the same to secure independent controls derivedfrom variously split columns or fields of a record card, means under theconin said unit for splitting the control circuit thereof into separatesections for separate and independent controlling purposes, and aplurality of control devices associated with said separate and splitsections of said control circuit for variously controlling the operationof the machine.

7. A tabulating machine having a control unit with means thereincontrolled by the con trol designating perforations of record cards,means for splitting said unit to effect a plurality of separatecontrolling operations of the machine which operations are distinctiveeach to the other and correspond with changes in different controlnumbers upon the record cards.

8. A tabulating machine having a control unit with rovisions forcontrolling the operation of t e machine in the usual way upon changesin minor control numbers, in the record cards, said control unit havingprovisions for splitting the same? as desired by the operator to utilizedesired sections thereof for a plurality of independent control purposessaid plurality of split sections being in addition to the main sectionfor ordinary control and functioning differently upon changes in eitherof a plurality of major control numbers.

9. A tabulating apparatus including a plurality of counters and acontrol unit means for variously splitting said unit for separate anddistinct control purposes which are in addition to the control elfectedthereby, and means controlled by the split sections of said unit forcompelling a selection of one or more counters for clearing and totalprinting, and means for preventing the normal automatic resetting andrestarting of tabulating operations until such selection has been made.

10. In a tabulating machine having a plurality of counters,controlmechanism comprising a plurality of sections individuallyassociated with different counters, the different sections eachincluding means for con- .trolling machine operation in a distinctiverality of counters and means for selecting counters for actuation incertain machine operations, a plurality of control devices indlviduallyassociated with diiferent counters 1,eoo,aea

' for separately controlling machine operation and conditioning themachine for further operation on the corresponding counter and meanscontrolled by the separate control devices for indicating the counterassociated with'a control device which effects a change in machineoperation whereby the counter which is to enter into the ensuing machineoperation may be identified for selection. U In testimony whereof Ihereto afiix my signature.

